George Fox website offers help in Clackamas Mall shooting aftermath

In wake of the Dec. 11 shooting incident at the Clackamas Town Center in Clackamas, Ore., George Fox University’s Trauma Response Institute is providing online resources that provide practical ideas to help those affected by the event.

Six handouts are now available to download for free off the university’s website. They are accessible by visiting counseling.georgefox.edu and clicking the “Trauma Response Institute” link under the “Centers and Clinics” section. A link to the institute’s response to the incident is posted at the top of the clinic’s home page.

Titles of the available materials include “Parent Guidelines for Helping Youth After the Recent Shooting,” “Psychological Impact of the Recent Shooting,” “Recommendations for Helping Children Cope with Crises” and “Tips for Talking With and Helping Children and Youth Cope After a Disaster or Traumatic Event.”

“Our hearts go out to those killed and injured in the Clackamas Town Center shooting,” writes Anna Berardi, clinic director, on the site. “We are also inspired by the care and courage displayed by our first responders, mall employees and shoppers.

“In the days ahead, many of us will be aware of our own thoughts, feelings and reactions to this event. And we will likely have a family member or friend who has been similarly impacted. These are logical responses to a horrific event. The handouts we are making available offer practical ideas to help those affected.”

George Fox University’s Trauma Response Institute sponsors training, research and service activities in the support of the resiliency of individuals and communities facing traumatic events. The institute is a distinct program within the university’s Graduate Department of Counseling.

To learn more about the institute, call 503-554-6065.

George Fox University is ranked by Forbes and Kiplinger’s among the top Christian universities in the country and is a Christian college classified by U.S. News & World Report as a first-tier regional university. Nearly 3,500 students attend classes on the university’s campus in Newberg, Ore., and at teaching centers in Portland, Salem, and Redmond, Ore., and Boise, Idaho. George Fox offers bachelor’s degrees in more than 40 majors, degree-completion programs for working adults, five seminary degrees, and 11 master’s and doctoral degrees.